How to pronounce medieval
Say it like mih-DEE-vul. Medieval has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (DEE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce medieval. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- mih
- DEE
- vul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Medieval pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- mihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- DEESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- vulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of medieval
American and British speakers say medieval in essentially the same way: /mɪˈdivəl/ in the US and /mɛˈdiːvəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: meh-DEE-vul.
What does medieval mean?
- relating to or belonging to the Middle Ages“Medieval scholars”“Medieval times”
- as if belonging to the Middle Ages; old-fashioned and unenlightened“a medieval attitude toward dating”
- characteristic of the time of chivalry and knighthood in the Middle Ages“chivalric rites”“the knightly years”
Where does medieval come from?
From French médiéval (“medieval”), from Latin medium (“middle”) + aevum (“age”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with medieval
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of medieval.
Questions about saying medieval
How do you pronounce medieval?
Say mih-DEE-vul. The American pronunciation is /mɪˈdivəl/. In British English it is /mɛˈdiːvəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in medieval?
Medieval has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (DEE). Broken into parts: mih · DEE · vul.
Do Americans and Brits say medieval the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /mɪˈdivəl/ and the British form is /mɛˈdiːvəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.